Foster shows up on Bucs' radar

NFL COMBINE - The Beat

February 24, 2008

Add former Carolina RB DeShaun Foster to the list of players the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are interested in speaking with as the free-agency period approaches later this week.

General Manager Bruce Allen said Saturday the team has had contact with Foster's representatives and hopes to schedule a meeting after wrapping up duties at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis on Tuesday.

Foster, 28, was released Thursday by the NFC South rival Panthers. The 2007 season marked the first since being drafted in the second round out of UCLA in 2002 that Foster played all 16 games in a season. He finished with 247 carries for 876 yards and three touchdowns.

The Bucs are looking to bolster depth at the tailback position currently manned by Earnest Graham and Michael Bennett while Carnell "Cadillac" Williams continues an uphill rehabilitation battle following season-ending knee surgery on a torn patellar tendon.

Foster, along with DT Rod Coleman and TE Alge Crumpler (both released by Atlanta) and Denver WR Javon Walker (a candidate for release or trade) are the players currently on Tampa Bay's radar.

He's big, and strong, too

Michigan OT Jake Long, the 6-foot-7, 313-pounder considered one of the five best prospects in the draft, did nothing to hurt his status on the first day of workouts. Long did 37 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, the most of any of the group of offensive linemen and tight ends. Rutgers OL Jeremy Zuttah was second at 35 and Ohio State's Kirk Barton next at 34.

Moffitt moving on

South Florida LB Ben Moffitt hadn't spoken much publicly about his academic scandal back in Tampa. He has no choice at the combine.

"They've questioned me about what's going on," Moffitt said of his interviews with teams at the combine. "I've been quite frank with them and told them the truth. It's an unfortunate situation that happened between me and my wife."

After filing for divorce, Shauna Moffitt, who has two children with the former USF star, claimed she wrote nearly every paper during her husband's five-year career with the Bulls. School officials have painted the issue as a he-said, she-said disagreement between the two.

Moffitt has, too.

"Anything like that is always tough," he said. "I'm not going to say anything bad or anything. I keep my head up and keep working hard, and try to help my kids and make a nice life for them. That's all I worry about."

Bears sign QB Grossman

Rex Grossman signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Bears and will compete for the starting quarterback job.

Grossman, a 2003 first-round draft pick, started the Super Bowl for the Bears after an up-and-down 2006 season. He struggled again last year and was benched following the third game. He returned for five more games before injuring his left knee.